Nominees For NASCAR Class Of 2015 Announced

Bill Elliott is among those who will be on the ballot for the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

RacinToday.com

NASCAR today announced the 20 nominees for the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame’s sixth induction class, as well as the five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.

Among the nominees are two-time NASCAR premier series champion Terry Labonte; 1988 NASCAR premier series champion and 16-time Most Popular Driver Bill Elliott; nine-time NASCAR champion Mike Stefanik, whose titles came in both the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East; Buddy Baker, a 19-time NASCAR premier series winner; and championship winning engine builder and team owner Robert Yates.

From the list of 20 NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees, five inductees will be elected by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel, which includes a nationwide fan vote on NASCAR.com. Voting Day for the 2015 class will be Wednesday, May 21. Fans can attend the announcement at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, N.C.

As was announced last November during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week, potential Landmark Award recipients could include competitors or those working in the sport as a member of a racing organization, track facility, race team, sponsor, media partner or being a general ambassador for the sport through a professional or non-professional role. Award winners remain eligible for NHOF enshrinement.

The five nominees for the inaugural Landmark Award are H. Clay Earles, Anne B. France, Raymond Parks, Ralph Seagraves and Ken Squier (more on each below). Parks is the only individual who was included as both a NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee and a Landmark Award nominee.

This round of nominees was selected by a 22-person nominating committee consisting of representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame and track owners from both major facilities and historic short tracks, as well as one at-large member. The committee’s votes were tabulated by accounting firm Ernst & Young.

Following are the 20 nominees for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, listed alphabetically:

– Buddy Baker, won 19 times in NASCAR’s premier (now Sprint Cup) series, including the Daytona 500 and Southern 500

– Red Byron, first NASCAR premier series champion, in 1949

– Richard Childress, 11-time car owner champion in NASCAR’s three national series

2 Comments »

I think it would be appropriate to induct the older statesmen while they are able to enjoy their day in the winners circle once again. Lord knows they took greater chances with less safety equipment and got paid far less for their efforts! Plenty of time for the young ones!